Specialty Gardening: large ficus tree, 1 by Gymgirl

Gymgirl wrote:
Thanks for this info. I have three ficus, all outside on the east patio. They aren't doing as well as I think they can be doing, and tend to be droopy. I've begun feeding them Osmocote and I do believe a pruning, root cutting, and repotting might just rejuvenate them all. Two seem to be a little different variety than the third ficus. I think at least one is a Benjamina. Two have darker leaves than the one.

I'm in Houston, and our winters don't have hard freezes for longer than the ficus can tolerate, so they can stay outdoors. However, I think they are probably rootbound in those big pots. I'll post a pic so you can see them.

My question, too, is can I do this pruning & cutting & potting now, or should I wait. And if so, when should I do it?

Thanks, Chunx!

P.S. How do you cut the roots and how MUCH of the root system do you cut away? Are you sawing through the rootball, or chopping like with an axe?

This message was edited Jul 14, 2006 12:01 PM